Person County DA indicted

Friday, June 18, 2010

Tags:

person county, local/state

PERSON COUNTY (WTVD) -- Former Person County District Attorney Joel Brewer was indicted Thursday on charges ranging from assault to impersonating a police officer.

ABC11 Eyewitness News obtained copies of the affidavits and search warrants from the clerk of courts office.

Brewer is charged with seven counts of assault on a female, one count of impersonating an officer and one count of willful failure to discharge his duties.

According to the court papers, Brewer allegedly stopped motorists by flashing a gold badge. District Attorneys in North Carolina don't carry badges and can't make traffic stops.

The misdemeanor documents also allege that Brewer touched women inappropriately - resulting in the misdemeanor assault charges.

All of the misdemeanors happened between June of 2008 and September of 2009.

In one assault, warrants say Brewer kissed a woman on her neck and grabbed her hand. In another, he allegedly put his hand on a woman's leg and touched the inside of her thigh. Another victim says Brewer touched her buttocks.

All of the acts were allegedly committed without the women's consent.

The affidavit also alleges he "routinely dismissed random citations" --keeping them in a "manila folder in his office," separated into male and female piles.

It went on to state that at election time Brewer "reminded those people of what he did, asked them for their vote, and for help working the polls."

It was also revealed on Thursday that back in 2008, the former DA had a personal relationship with one of the women he helped --directing an assistant DA to dismiss her case.

Attorney General Roy Cooper's Special Prosecutions Section and the SBI Professional Standards Division have been investigating Brewer since last November. He retired earlier this year as district attorney of Person and Caswell counties after 28 years.

Brewer isn't commenting about the charges, but the SBI's office says he voluntarily accepted the charges.

Brewer has a hearing in Person County, scheduled for July 8.